Need help with men's exercise clothes please

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island
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Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by island »

[2014 thread bumped in 2022 --admin LadyGeek]

Thinking about getting my husband some new work out wear for christmas and could use your help.

At home he'll do so many miles on the treadmill, eliptical and/or bike that his clothes are soaking wet when he gets off. Can actually wring them out. Same when he's out hiking up hill or in the Mts near by here in San Diego, especially in the summer.

He just wears cotton short sleeve T's and shorts.

Brother who is an exercise junkie and also does a triathelon once a year or so says DH is in the "dark ages" if still exercising in cotton and should be looking at fabrics that keep him dry. OK what's that?
He's on the East Coast, hard to get a hold of, and not a man of many words so doubt I'm going to get much more info out of him, especially before Christmas. Plus don't know if what he's suggesting is more for people at his level or for any gym rat that goes hard.

So can you runners and exercise enthusiasts suggest some brands, styles, fabrics, etc I should look for and where to buy?

I'm thinking items that look like Ts and regular drawstring shorts, not too short like Richard Simmons or too long like Lebron James and no way will he wear bike shorts and skin tight tops. :D

Brother did mention that some running shorts have "compression" underneath, but look like normal shorts. Is that like the built in mesh undergarment in men's swim shorts? If so I can't imagine that would be comfortable...or mabye it's different fabric?
Should I be looking at that type or skip the built in undies?

Also, any good alternative to the pull over or hoodie cotton sweatshirt he sometimes needs if chilly outside in the AM. Kind of bulky especially if sweaty or needs to take it off and carry it. Any type or fabric suggestions for that?


Thank you!
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by itstoomuch »

UnderArmor type of wicking apparel.
I got a custom to tighter athletic wear and now find them more comfortable than cotton T' s. For pants I use compression type for bike and looser for yoga- I am not too picky having reached the age where I don't care. Underpants are still cotton/blends of various configurations. :mrgreen:
Last edited by itstoomuch on Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by jebmke »

Avoid cotton.
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RunningRad
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by RunningRad »

I use primarily Nike and Patagonia (not cotton). Both wear well, are durable, fit well, etc. Both have multiple fabric choices and price points. Patagonia is especially good for smaller folks (like myself) and uses some anti-stink technology that you might appreciate. ;)
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mhc
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by mhc »

Under Armor is the most stylish these days where I live. All brands have their own "stay dry" line of clothing. You can go to any sporting goods store and find them. Just ask a clerk to help you.

Running, biking, hiking, and general exercise clothing tend to be different.
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oneleaf
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by oneleaf »

My wife wears Under Armour and I wear Nike's. Generally, any Dick's or Joe's or other sports store will have a great selection. For Nike, anything that says Dri-Fit is what you want. Also, there are Nike Dri-Fit shorts too, which are very much like swim trunks in that they have an underwear liner. They are very comfortable and I work out exclusively in these.
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runner9
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by runner9 »

Under Armour is pricey, in my opinion. I like C9, Target's brand. Regardless you want something that wicks away moisture. Does he do any races? They give away shirts that (often but not always) are wicking.
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walkabout
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by walkabout »

I wear something like this

http://amzn.com/B006LHME5K

or a similar product from UnderArmour under loose wicking or mesh fabric shorts from Champion, Nike, or UnderArmour.

These are underwear that are to be worn under clothing, not bike shorts that could be worn as clothing. I think they are a lifesaver. Just the right amount of support. No soggy, bunchy cotton underwear.

For shorts I wear something like this:

http://amzn.com/B00K5TIOIG

Combine these with wicking tshirts (Nike and UnderArmour are two good brands) and synthetic socks (not cotton), and he will feel like a new man!

If your husband works out hard enough to work up a drenching sweat as you describe, I can't imagine that he would not like performance garments like, if he gives them a chance.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by supertreat »

Since this is a gift you may want to go with the higher quality brand name items. As a runner I'm absolutely fine in cotton during the summer- doesn't bother me one bit. If he's a cold weather runner you will want the synthetic wicking materials - I just buy the cheap stuff from walmart, tj maxx, etc. since I'm not willing to pay brand name prices. IMO it is always nice to have underwear made for running- I like the longer legged underwear to prevent my thighs from chafing.
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TxAg
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by TxAg »

Don't overlook good underwear...seriously.

I like Exofficio brand underwear.
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kenyan
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by kenyan »

Under Armour is what I wear nowadays. Definitely is a big improvement over cotton. Similar higher-end apparel such as Nike may be good, but I haven't been as fond of some cheaper stuff due to the difference in odor prevention.

Note that though UA is not cheap, you can find ways to make it more palatable. ShopDiscover + Discover 5% cash back through the end of the year leads to 20% cash back at UA.com, and shipping is currently free. If you can find what you want on sale, the price isn't too bad with that 20% cash back.
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Rodc
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Rodc »

I find the nylon running shorts and t-shirts from Target are great. I have for one reason or another picked up a couple name brand items and none are actually better than the target stuff. Looks good, comfortable, wears like iron.

Beware though that some people really love their cotton.

And there really is no such thing as keep your dry miracle fabric if you are working hard.
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curmudgeon
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by curmudgeon »

I started exercising a lot more this year, and definitely found that moving to the newer exercise fabrics is a big step up from cotton. Look for the stuff that says "moisture wicking" in general. I get Champion brand underwear at Costco for a pretty low price that works well. For shirts and shorts I've gone with whatever is on sale at Kohls or somewhere similar (often Fila brand). Nike dri-fit or UA seem pretty pricey and not that much better to me.

I also shifted to low-cut socks for most exercise if I'm likely to be sweating a lot, as that helps keep my feet drier/cooler (Puma 6-pack of socks from Costco).
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by arsenalfan »

I have had Under Armour, Nike, Patagonia...and find the stuff at TJ Maxx or Marshalls works just as well, for 70-80% off.
Just have to find a good TJ Maxx (don't understand why, but some have terrible selection) - which you may not have time to do prior to XMas?
Hindand other no-names - so long as its 100% polyester wicking, you're good to go.
IMHO, I'd rather have 3-4 of these $10 polyester T-shirts than 1 $35 Nike or UA one. They do stink after a workout and you need a rotation.
Bring along a t-shirt that fits him well, and size-match from there.
Shorts are harder (and more personal) to fit, and I spend a little more there. Built-in wicking liner, length (5" runner vs basketball length baggy), style - all personal preference. Me, I like Patagonia "Baggies" shorts - not too revealing, but you can run/hike/play any sport in them, and they have DEEP pockets that stuff doesn't fall out of.
I wouldn't spend a lot of $$$ on compression shorts since it would be an experiment for him, and a white elephant risk. Unless spandex does it for you?
C9 Target stuff is great since you'd just have to go to Target, and not hunt around at TJ Maxx or Marshalls - it just fits me weirdly, so I don't use it.
Last edited by arsenalfan on Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
miles monroe
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by miles monroe »

i wear nike running shorts with the built in brief. but as others have mentioned bottoms are personal preference. if you find out he's an underwear type of guy then i'll second the opinion that exoffico are good. i wear those when hiking in long pants when it is cold.

i used to wear nike running tops (about $30) until i discovered that costco and sams sell basically the same thing (different brands) for about 40% of the cost and work just as well.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by lightheir »

I exercise a lot, mostly endurance stuff, but tons of sweat, like 1-2hrs a day, every day.

Best bang for the but is the C9/Champion polyester activewear at Target. It's pretty generic, but it's rock bottom inexpensive, and works as well as most technical clothing. I use the shirts, pants, and socks all the time. The only thing I don't use from there are running tights for very cold weather - if you're going to do that, you will need insulated tights.

But for any warm weather stuff, their clothing line is very in line with Bogleheads bang for buck!
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by stoptothink »

I've had it all. Like many others have said, the Target stuff is every bit as good as UA or Nike and for a fraction of the price. It all gets sweaty and stinky; for something that is going to be washed pretty much after every use, I'd rather have three C9 dri-fit shirts than one UA one. That stuff is insanely overpriced.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by livesoft »

If he runs indoors, then how about a couple of floor fans?

If he runs outdoors (you wrote about indoors) and he sweats quite a lot, then I would recommend some bike jerseys with pockets in the back. I carry bottles of liquid in those back pockets. In the summers, I start with bottles with about 10-16oz of frozen refreshments. I simply use Ozarka, Poland Springs water bottles. I buy bike jerseys from local bike shops/teams on my travels. So when I wear a jersey, it reminds me of a cool trip or vacation that I had.

I know there are little belts of bottles, but that's too much for me.
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jimmy123
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by jimmy123 »

Cotton is bad.

TJ maxx is cheap, and can get 'brand' clothing there. I like Asics, Nike and Brooks to run in. But that's just me. $15 gets a good running shirt in TJ Maxx.

If you sweat a lot, then all clothing starts to smell. I treat running tops as disposable once the smell gets stuck.
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climber2020
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by climber2020 »

I use Columbia Mountain Tech short sleeve shirts. They usually run about 30 bucks a piece, but sometimes you can find them on sale for 15-20. These also work great as travel shirts since you can wash them in the sink and they dry in a few hours. I've tried similar polyester shirts from Target, and the cheap versions made me itchy.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by harland »

One thing to note - DO NOT use fabric softener with 'wicking' garments. It hampers their ability to wick away the moisture.

To keep the stink away from workout clothes, I use 'Sport Suds' detergent. It's fragrance-free and won't damage the properties of the fabric.
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black jack
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by black jack »

Another vote for the C9 stuff from Target. I've got a couple of Nike Dri-Fit shirts, a couple of Under Armour shirts, and several of the C9s, and I like the fit and feel of the C9s more than the others.

Also, another vote for a floor fan for your husband's indoor workouts.

In San Diego, I don't imagine cool weather gear is an issue, but for hiking in the mountains some of the long-sleeve sunblock shirts might be a good long-term investment in his health (speaking as someone who's had a few skin-blistering sunburns and is now very conscious of sun exposure).
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Atilla
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Atilla »

Ya - check out what Under Armour has. I like their stuff. If low price is not the primary issue for a gift - they will like what you give them. :beer
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island
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by island »

Wow, you guys are the best! So much info, thank you!!

You thought of things I didn't think of and those that I did, but didn't know if I should ask about, like undergarments. That was very helpful too.

Appreciate the links so I could see the products some of you mentioned.

The washing tips too. No fabric softener. Got it.
My brother said not to put the wicking garments in the dryer either. I'll have to tell him about the Sports Suds since he mentioned he's found that the wicking fabric tends to retain some odor after having them for awhile.

As far as DH goes he doesn't perspire much, only when working out like a maniac. Doesn't feel he's worked hard enough if not soaked! Even with that he doesn't get stinky. Don't understand why not, but hey, not complaining and thanks to those who offered suggestions for my benefit! :D

Never thought about checking Costco and some of the other stores mentioned. Good tip about the Discover card. I have one and often forget about using their portal for the extra cash savings. Will check that out tonite.

The floor fan is a great idea too, but I think he likes it to be a sweat box. Maybe he should try Hot Yoga, what's that called Bikram?

Thanks again everyone; really appreciate your help. He'll certainly be surprised!
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by livesoft »

The stink is generally from bacteria growing on the clothes. I don't let my sweaty clothes pile up on the floor outside the shower. They go right in the washer and get hit with hot water. I add detergent, but do not let the washer get to the spin cycle unless I have a full load. I set the water level to low at first, but as clothes get added, I reset to medium, then to high. There is no problem with letting the clothes sit in the water for hours or a day or two. The chemistry of the material and dyes used are quite a bit different than in the 1950's.

And I dry in the dryer on hot even though the care label says Hang to Dry. Heat kills bacteria and when the bacteria are kept dead, the clothes do not stink.

Today I ran 5 miles in a jersey that was 35 years old. A classic. Very brightly multi-colored. It didn't smell and wicked sweat away nicely (it was almost 80 degrees F today).
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wrysys
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by wrysys »

under armor is pretty cheap quality . on amazon salomon and champion are good brands. anything is better than cotton, if you pay more you may get slightly faster drying and stink resistance with silver fibers but this is only partly effective
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dm200
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by dm200 »

I must be another guy "in the Dark Ages" -- BUT I plan to stay there!

I go to a gym almost every day (for the past 4 years) and in the past year my cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts get soaking wet as well. So what?

I shower, change into regular clothes, put the wet T-shirt in the gym bag until I get to my car and put it on the back seat. When I get home in the evening, I hang it out and it is dry the next morning when I go to the gym again - then wear a fresh exercise shirt every few days. I haven't bought an exercise T-shirt in a very long time - just wear ones with various logos I have accumulated over the years - and wear the same sets of exercise shorts I have worn for many years.

As far as I know, there is no harm in ending exercise with sweaty clothing - and I can think of no reason to spend even ten cents more on exercise clothing.

In my opinion, if your husband is happy wearing what he wears - just leave him alone! After all - it is the exercise that is good for him and his health.
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island
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by island »

dm200 wrote:I must be another guy "in the Dark Ages" -- BUT I plan to stay there!

I go to a gym almost every day (for the past 4 years) and in the past year my cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts get soaking wet as well. So what?

I shower, change into regular clothes, put the wet T-shirt in the gym bag until I get to my car and put it on the back seat. When I get home in the evening, I hang it out and it is dry the next morning when I go to the gym again - then wear a fresh exercise shirt every few days. I haven't bought an exercise T-shirt in a very long time - just wear ones with various logos I have accumulated over the years - and wear the same sets of exercise shorts I have worn for many years.

As far as I know, there is no harm in ending exercise with sweaty clothing - and I can think of no reason to spend even ten cents more on exercise clothing.

In my opinion, if your husband is happy wearing what he wears - just leave him alone! After all - it is the exercise that is good for him and his health.
Good grief, relax! Not saying there is anything wrong with sweating until soaking wet and not trying to force him to do or wear anything he doesn't want or discourage him from exercising, just want to give him some gifts he might like! If not they can be returned. No big deal.
Also those soaking wet cotton clothes don't dry that quickly nor do they get worn more than once before washing and neither of us are thrilled about the pile up of wet clothes.

I know some Bogleheads don't see the point of spending a dime on just about anything, but we chose to live within our means rather than like we're destitute.
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Raymond
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Raymond »

As above, the C9 brand at Target, also the BCG house brand of exercise clothes at Academy Sports, if there is one near you.

Made the move from cotton to wicking polyester three years ago - cotton was clammy on my skin, clung to it when wet (all the better to display my manly physique and abs, not! :P ) and would leave more sweat on the body-contact areas of exercise machines.
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saladdin
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by saladdin »

He have hyperhydroisis? I do.

I sweat way more than average. At my peak in running I would have to change shirts and sweat pants midway thru run because the soaked up sweat would make my sweat paints sag.

I use the cheapest "wiking" shirts I can find and they make a night and day difference.

I even wear them out during the summer and they make a huge difference.

On machines and the floor I would leave puddles of sweat. I would have to bring an extra towel to place under the footpedals to catch the sweat from accumulating on the floor.

At one old gym they had a stair stepper from the 80's-90's that was the old chain driven model. I used it for years. One day the chain snapped. The maitenance guys opened it up and the chain had rusted so badly it finally gave out. They asked who had been pouring water on it. Yep, pretty sure I sweated a chain in half.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by lightheir »

island wrote:Wow, you guys are the best! So much info, thank you!!

You thought of things I didn't think of and those that I did, but didn't know if I should ask about, like undergarments. That was very helpful too.

Appreciate the links so I could see the products some of you mentioned.

The washing tips too. No fabric softener. Got it.
My brother said not to put the wicking garments in the dryer either. I'll have to tell him about the Sports Suds since he mentioned he's found that the wicking fabric tends to retain some odor after having them for awhile.

As far as DH goes he doesn't perspire much, only when working out like a maniac. Doesn't feel he's worked hard enough if not soaked! Even with that he doesn't get stinky. Don't understand why not, but hey, not complaining and thanks to those who offered suggestions for my benefit! :D

Never thought about checking Costco and some of the other stores mentioned. Good tip about the Discover card. I have one and often forget about using their portal for the extra cash savings. Will check that out tonite.

The floor fan is a great idea too, but I think he likes it to be a sweat box. Maybe he should try Hot Yoga, what's that called Bikram?

Thanks again everyone; really appreciate your help. He'll certainly be surprised!
The bolded is incorrect. Most technical 'wicking' clothes do better after they go in the dryer. Helps the fibers get back to form.
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Zapped
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Zapped »

I exercise strenously here in Central Texas and my clothing is soaked more than half the year. Only if it's about 55F or below will I stay dry. The benefit of the tech fibers over cotton is that they aren't quite as heavy/clingy when they're soaked.

My most comfortable clothing when it's completely wet with perspiration is my spandex bike gear. There's something about the fact that bike gear isn't flopping around your chest that makes it much more comfortable when it's soaked through. I personally think the wicking effect works better in direct skin contact rather than with loose clothing. But since it's not socially acceptable to wear skin-tight outfits during other exercise I have to stay uncomfortable when I'm out for a run.

I don't wear skintight undershirts beneath my running jerseys because they are too hot when I'm already sweating. They're great as an extra layer when it's below 50F.

@saladdin mentions hyperhydroisis, but I wonder if we really suffer from that or we're just willing to "suffer" more during exercise than folks who don't sweat a lot. On a long summer bike ride I can't keep up with perspiration. After 5 or more 24oz bottles of electrolytes (yep, 7.5lbs intake) I'll still be down 5lbs in weight after 3+ hour summer bike rides in Texas - and that's heading out around dawn when it's still below 80F. I only mention this, OP, because I don't want your brother to think he's an aberration.

Sounds like you're already planning to follow the recommendations to buy C9 activewear at Target. And as @harland mentioned, don't use fabric softener.

One last thing - @livesoft mentions washing the clothes right away. I found that's not enough for my biking kit to prevent buildup of unwanted odors over time. The cure is to add about a cup of distilled white vinegar either to your wash or as a presoak (say an hour or so). Don't worry about smelling like salad dressing - you won't believe how fresh & clean your exercise clothing will smell after the wash. White vinegar will do wonders for anything around the house (e.g. dish rags) that get a little funky if they sit around damp for long.
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Sidney
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Sidney »

Raymond wrote:Made the move from cotton to wicking polyester three years ago - cotton was clammy on my skin, clung to it when wet (all the better to display my manly physique and abs, not! :P ) and would leave more sweat on the body-contact areas of exercise machines.
Same here. I often ride my bike to the gym in cooler weather. Really don't like riding home in wet clothes. The synthetics almost always dry out before I head home.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by livesoft »

Vinegar sounds great, but be aware that acetic acid (and its fumes) will cause corrosion (rust) of metal (including stainless steel). So if you are going to make this a long-term treatment, I would not do the pre-soak in the washer itself, but would do it in a plastic tub and outside.
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Epsilon Delta
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Epsilon Delta »

livesoft wrote:Vinegar sounds great, but be aware that acetic acid (and its fumes) will cause corrosion (rust) of metal (including stainless steel). So if you are going to make this a long-term treatment, I would not do the pre-soak in the washer itself, but would do it in a plastic tub and outside.
I find that letting the clothes dry immediately after use is enough. After use they go on a clothes line on the back porch. A day or two later they can go into the hamper to wait for laundry day. Into the hamper while even slightly damp and it smells like a wet sheep died for the next few months.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by JonnyDVM »

oneleaf wrote:My wife wears Under Armour and I wear Nike's. Generally, any Dick's or Joe's or other sports store will have a great selection. For Nike, anything that says Dri-Fit is what you want. Also, there are Nike Dri-Fit shorts too, which are very much like swim trunks in that they have an underwear liner. They are very comfortable and I work out exclusively in these.
Dri-Fit changed my life. Adidas makes a similar product. I used to have the same problem with cotton. The new fabrics are an infinitely better option.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by livesoft »

FWIW, the laundry care tags of both Nike and UnderArmour garments that I have state "Do not use softeners."
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Xpe »

TxAg wrote:Don't overlook good underwear...seriously.

I like Exofficio brand underwear.
Exofficio is the best. Don't know what magic they infuse into the fabric, but there's literally nothing you can do to make them smell. Saturday I ran a half marathon, threw them on the floor on my way into the shower, next day you couldn't tell they had been worn.

I spent 1.5 months in peru last year with just three pairs of exofficio boxers.

Can not recommend enough.
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by jlawrence01 »

dm200 wrote:I must be another guy "in the Dark Ages" -- BUT I plan to stay there!

I go to a gym almost every day (for the past 4 years) and in the past year my cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts get soaking wet as well. So what?

I shower, change into regular clothes, put the wet T-shirt in the gym bag until I get to my car and put it on the back seat. When I get home in the evening, I hang it out and it is dry the next morning when I go to the gym again - then wear a fresh exercise shirt every few days. I haven't bought an exercise T-shirt in a very long time - just wear ones with various logos I have accumulated over the years - and wear the same sets of exercise shorts I have worn for many years.

As far as I know, there is no harm in ending exercise with sweaty clothing - and I can think of no reason to spend even ten cents more on exercise clothing.

In my opinion, if your husband is happy wearing what he wears - just leave him alone! After all - it is the exercise that is good for him and his health.

I agree with you. I cannot see why people need to spend a princely sum on clothing that they are going to immediately get sweaty in. On the other hand, I guess that I am past the mating ritual stage ...
nm451
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by nm451 »

I generally use the cheaper Champion stuff for outerwear and pay for the UA compression shorts. To me the Under Armour seems to fit a little better and eliminate chafing when I run. But I would be careful when buying the underwear stuff because some stores will not take it back if you husband does not like it.

Also one more vote for Sports Suds, it works really well. I also only usually do the laundry about once a week so in a separate hamper I throw a few of those sneaker balls in there to cut down the smell (and in the gym bag).
Xpe
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by Xpe »

jlawrence01 wrote:
dm200 wrote:I must be another guy "in the Dark Ages" -- BUT I plan to stay there!

I go to a gym almost every day (for the past 4 years) and in the past year my cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts get soaking wet as well. So what?

I shower, change into regular clothes, put the wet T-shirt in the gym bag until I get to my car and put it on the back seat. When I get home in the evening, I hang it out and it is dry the next morning when I go to the gym again - then wear a fresh exercise shirt every few days. I haven't bought an exercise T-shirt in a very long time - just wear ones with various logos I have accumulated over the years - and wear the same sets of exercise shorts I have worn for many years.

As far as I know, there is no harm in ending exercise with sweaty clothing - and I can think of no reason to spend even ten cents more on exercise clothing.

In my opinion, if your husband is happy wearing what he wears - just leave him alone! After all - it is the exercise that is good for him and his health.

I agree with you. I cannot see why people need to spend a princely sum on clothing that they are going to immediately get sweaty in. On the other hand, I guess that I am past the mating ritual stage ...
It depends. There are some practical reasons, and some personal preference reasons. In general I agree that dri-fit isn't a necessity and that if you wear cotton it doesn't mean you're a n00b.

Practical - If you're running long distances in cotton, expect significant chaffing (to the point of bleeding). At the end of a 10 miler or longer, the guys at the finish line with bloody shirts are the ones who wore cotton.

Personal Preference - Cotton gets heavier and more cumbersome, becomes less comfortable as the workout progresses.

I'm a distance runner and soccer player, I wear dri-fit for those, but cotton to the gym.
saladdin
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by saladdin »

jlawrence01 wrote:
dm200 wrote:I must be another guy "in the Dark Ages" -- BUT I plan to stay there!

I go to a gym almost every day (for the past 4 years) and in the past year my cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts get soaking wet as well. So what?

I shower, change into regular clothes, put the wet T-shirt in the gym bag until I get to my car and put it on the back seat. When I get home in the evening, I hang it out and it is dry the next morning when I go to the gym again - then wear a fresh exercise shirt every few days. I haven't bought an exercise T-shirt in a very long time - just wear ones with various logos I have accumulated over the years - and wear the same sets of exercise shorts I have worn for many years.

As far as I know, there is no harm in ending exercise with sweaty clothing - and I can think of no reason to spend even ten cents more on exercise clothing.

In my opinion, if your husband is happy wearing what he wears - just leave him alone! After all - it is the exercise that is good for him and his health.

I agree with you. I cannot see why people need to spend a princely sum on clothing that they are going to immediately get sweaty in. On the other hand, I guess that I am past the mating ritual stage ...

Tell you what. Live with hyperhydroisis then come back to me.

Used to wear bandaids over my nipples due to chaffing and bleeding from sweating while running.

You've already decided we're crazy, fine. But you have no idea how much these improve quality of life for people that sweat, excercise or live in the south's humidity. I have to carry extra shirts in my car due to sweating. These shirts stopped that. The cheap name brand work and you can get them for the same as typical shirt. These aren't made from gold.
leonard
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by leonard »

Costco has very cheap, name brand synthetic workout shirts and shorts.

Target has the same - wait for a sale and it's even better.

The VG store has one style of synthetic workout shirt that is very reasonably priced.

Keep in mind - you also get the benefit from synthetics that you can hang dry quickly compared to cotton. That's a real plus and an important consideration for those that like to hang dry clothes.
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oneleaf
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by oneleaf »

saladdin wrote: Tell you what. Live with hyperhydroisis then come back to me.

Used to wear bandaids over my nipples due to chaffing and bleeding from sweating while running.

You've already decided we're crazy, fine. But you have no idea how much these improve quality of life for people that sweat, excercise or live in the south's humidity. I have to carry extra shirts in my car due to sweating. These shirts stopped that. The cheap name brand work and you can get them for the same as typical shirt. These aren't made from gold.
I do not even sweat that much, and I still see a huge benefit in comfort with wearing synthetic sportswear. I also started buying specialty socks from sports stores and can never go back to cotton socks, even for daily wear. The socks thing was such a big thing that my parents now wear synthetic socks exclusively, and also can never go back!
stoptothink
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by stoptothink »

oneleaf wrote:
saladdin wrote: Tell you what. Live with hyperhydroisis then come back to me.

Used to wear bandaids over my nipples due to chaffing and bleeding from sweating while running.

You've already decided we're crazy, fine. But you have no idea how much these improve quality of life for people that sweat, excercise or live in the south's humidity. I have to carry extra shirts in my car due to sweating. These shirts stopped that. The cheap name brand work and you can get them for the same as typical shirt. These aren't made from gold.
I do not even sweat that much, and I still see a huge benefit in comfort with wearing synthetic sportswear. I also started buying specialty socks from sports stores and can never go back to cotton socks, even for daily wear. The socks thing was such a big thing that my parents now wear synthetic socks exclusively, and also can never go back!
It's better, just depends on how much you value those characteristics. I've owned pretty much everything under the sun, most of it being given to me for free because of athletic competition and where I worked. I'd never personally buy UA or specialty socks (especially). I can buy a dozen pair of regular socks (which do the job fine and last for years) for the price of one pair of nice running socks (ie. Balega, Smartwool PhD, Feetures, etc.). Isn't worth it to me, if it is to you, awesome.
livesoft
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by livesoft »

Synthetic socks can be pretty inexpensive. I use acrylic socks at about $10 for 4 pair. gold-toe makes acrylic socks, too. I cannot use cotton socks.

As for bleeding, even the synthetic shirts can cause nipple bleeding if the shirts are loose and thus move across the chest creating friction. Form-fit / compression shirts don't seem to have that problem.
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island
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by island »

stoptothink wrote:
oneleaf wrote:
saladdin wrote: Tell you what. Live with hyperhydroisis then come back to me.

Used to wear bandaids over my nipples due to chaffing and bleeding from sweating while running.

You've already decided we're crazy, fine. But you have no idea how much these improve quality of life for people that sweat, excercise or live in the south's humidity. I have to carry extra shirts in my car due to sweating. These shirts stopped that. The cheap name brand work and you can get them for the same as typical shirt. These aren't made from gold.
I do not even sweat that much, and I still see a huge benefit in comfort with wearing synthetic sportswear. I also started buying specialty socks from sports stores and can never go back to cotton socks, even for daily wear. The socks thing was such a big thing that my parents now wear synthetic socks exclusively, and also can never go back!
It's better, just depends on how much you value those characteristics. I've owned pretty much everything under the sun, most of it being given to me for free because of athletic competition and where I worked. I'd never personally buy UA or specialty socks (especially). I can buy a dozen pair of regular socks (which do the job fine and last for years) for the price of one pair of nice running socks (ie. Balega, Smartwool PhD, Feetures, etc.). Isn't worth it to me, if it is to you, awesome.

SOCKS! Thanks for reminding; maybe you guys can help me out with that.

This summer DH had problems with blisters on the balls of his feet and bottom of his heels. The whole area would eventually peel off. No sooner healed and they'd be back. Didn't change shoes or socks, so not sure what happened other than it started after a long hike that ended with a long slog downhill, but has done same trail many times before. Maybe hotter? Not sure.

Was just wearing usual white crew socks bought in bulk at Costco, Champion or similar. Then bought some others that were thicker, but didn't help. Maybe too loose and rubbing back and forth?? Can't quite figure it out, but he couldn't go on the treadmil or walk for exercise for awhile after that and when in Palm Springs area in Oct he was painting the bottom of his feet with NuSkin so he could hike in San Jacino.

Any thoughts or sock suggestions? Thanks again.
livesoft
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by livesoft »

I would suggest acrylic socks and possibly a thin sock and a normal sock.

Article about acrylic vs cotton: http://www.aapsm.org/socknov97.html
At the same time, Herring and Richie published their studies demonstrating the superiority of acrylic fibers over cotton fibers in preventing the frequency and severity of friction blisters in running athletes.
When wet, acrylic fibers swell less than 5% while cotton swells 45% and wool swells 35%.
Perhaps, a thin polypropylene socks with a cushiony acrylic sock might be good?
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oneleaf
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by oneleaf »

For socks, both Thorlos and Balega have served me well. I also like REI's brand of socks. REI has a great selection, imo.
leonard
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Re: Need help with men's exercise clothes please

Post by leonard »

REI has great sport socks. They also have great sport wicking socks that are dark and will pass for dress socks. Very comfortable.
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